Carrboro’s town manager, Steve Stewart, has given Aldermen two budget options for FY 07-08. One has no tax increase, while the other imposes a 4.5% increase. Why does the town need to consider a tax hike? According to the Raleigh News & Observer story, it’s for this reason:
The key budgetary and economic drivers were slow population growth within the town, which directly affects several revenues, such as the property tax base and sales tax revenue, Stewart said. He estimated that Carrboro’s population had grown by 6 percent from April 2000 to July 2005.
With the Triangle booming, slow population growth should make town officials wonder why their town isn’t attracting people. There may be mutliple factors, but could it be that the oppressive tax burden in Orange County is contributing? Ironically, Carrboro officials talk a lot about “social equity,” yet they, and other Orange officials, continue to adopt policies that push out the very people they’re trying to help. As I wrote yesterday, even Orange County Commissioner Barry Jacobs, a proud progressive, is questioning the wisdom of more tax increases. Hopefully the Carrboro Aldermen will do the same with their new budget.
